Lake Walcott State Park/Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge
Lake Walcott State Park / Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge - Minidoka
County, Idaho
The Park is within the refuge. There are disabled parking areas. There
are
about 2 miles of paved trails that are suitable for wheel chairs, with
gradual grades and no sharp drop offs. There are two safe overlooks to
the
lake with paved access trails. One of the overlooks can be used by
chair
bound fisherman. The trails are safe, but do not have railings (except
the
lake overlooks have railings). The brush along the trails near the
water
and the Park are good birding in spring and fall, and fair during
summer.
During weekends there may be many visitors, using bikes, skates, etc.
During the week when it is quieter, the park is a good place for
visually
impaired birders to bird by sound. There are picnic tables or benches
scattered along the paved trails for rest sites. There are picnic
tables
accessible by wheel chair. The trails are not kept snow free during
winter. Rest rooms are or will soon be ADA compliant. The boat dock
area
below Minidoka Dam can be birded from a car and is a good waterbird
viewing
site. There are no facilities designed specifically for blind or deaf
visitors. The Park Office is not wheel chair accessible, but is due
for
replacement in 2008. The Refuge Office is, and the new Park Office
will be
wheel chair accessible. One of the two cabins for rent is wheel chair
accessible. The Park will start a $500,000 accessibility upgrade
project
in fall 2007.
http://www.idahoparks.org/parks/lakewalcott.aspx
http://www.fws.gov/pacific/refuges/field/ID_minidoka.htm
Lake Walcott State Park 208-436-1258
Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge 208-436-3589
**************************************************
Steve Bouffard
Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge
961 E. Minidoka Dam Rd
Rupert, ID 83350
(208) 436-3589
fax (208) 436-1570
steve_bouffard@fws.gov
http://pacific.fws.gov/refuges/field/ID_minidoka.htm